Fluid control valve



April 23, 1946. w A, RAY 2,398,855

FLUID CONTROL VALVE Original Filed Jan. 27, 1941 l UM Snnentor;

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Patented Apr. 23, 1946 UNITED STATES FLUID CONTROL VALVE William A. Ray, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to General Controls Co., a corporation Original application January 27, 1941, Serial No. 376,137, now Patent No. 2,317,640, dated April Divided and this application April 19, 1943, Serial No. 483,543

1 Claim.

This invention relates to iluid control valves; the present application being a division of my copending application, Serial No. 376,137, led January 2'1, 1941, now Patent 2,317,640, granted April 27, 1943.

An object of the invention is to provide a valve structure wherein a valve seat member is movable, and is maintained in engagement with its closure during a portion of the travel of the same; continued movement of the closure effecting its disengagement from the seat.

Another objectI is to provide a floating threeway valve embodying the feature set forth in the preceding object, whereby one of the valve ports is closed before the other is opened.

Another object is to provide a three-way valve, of the character described, wherein normal wear does not bring about the possibility of both of the valve ports being opensimultaneously.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be found in the description, the drawing, and the claim; and, for full understanding of `the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description and accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view, mainly in longitudinal section, of a structure embodying my invention; and

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the parts in a moved position.

In the drawing, the numeral II indicates a valve casing having an opening through its lefthand end wall wherein is threaded a hollow member or sub-casing I2; the end of the subcasing joining the casing II being threaded to receive a bushing I3 which forms part of a partition separating the interiors, or chambers, I4 and I 5 of the casing and sub-casing, respectively. Slidable in the bushing I3 is an elongated tubular member I6; and to prevent leakage around this member, the bushing is recessed to receive packing |1 and a gland nut I8.

The tubular member I6 provides, at the lefthand end of its bore, a seat I9 for a closure 2|) having a stem 2| which extends through the member into chamber I4, and is there provided with a collar 22 which forms an abutment for a spring 23 compressed between it and the gland nut I8. The end of member I6 within chamber I5 is provided with a tapered head 24 which cooperates with a seat 25 formed at the inner end of an opening 28 through the end wall of the sub-casing; in the outer end of which opening is threaded a hollow tting 21. Encircling the portion of member I6 within chamber I5 is a.

the seat I9 of member I8 in engagement withclosure 20; the spring 28 being considerably is moved only in accordance with the movement of stem 2|. I

Sealingly extending through the right-hand end wall of casing II is means for imparting longitudinal movement to stem 2| in accordance with variation of fluid pressure applied .to a motor 29 through a pipe 30; the construction of these parts not being shown, since they form no essential part of the present invention. Through the rear wall of casing I I is an opening 2|, and in the top wall o! the sub-casing is an opening for a hollow tting 32.

When the parts are in the positions shown in Fig. 1, uid can pass between the ttings 21 and 32 around the open valve seat 25; no uid being able to pass through the tubular member I6 inasmuch as the seat I9 of that member is maintained in engagement with the closure 20 by the force of spring 28. Gradual movement of stem 2| in a left-hand direction permits corresponding movement of the member I8 (under the force of spring 28) until farther movement oi' the member is arrested by the engagement of its head 2l with the seat 25. At this instant, passage of uid between ttings 21 and 22--as well as through member I8-is obstructed. Con tinued movement of stem 2| in a left-hand direction effects disengagement of closure 20 from its seat I! (the parts being in the positions shown in Fig. 2) so that iluid can then then passthrough the space between stem 2| and member IG-between tting 21 and the opening 8| of chamber Il; communication between ttings 21 and I2 now being obstructed by the seated head 40 24 of member I6. Subsequent movement of the stem 2| in an opposite direction effects, ilrst, seating of closure 20, and then unseating o! the head 2l. Since the member I6 is moved only through the agency oi the closure 20 of stem 2|, it is clear that one of the described uid paths must be closed before the other is opened. regardless of normal wear of the parts.

The three-way valve hereinabove described obviously has varied uses; as an example, if the fitting 21 is connected to a uid pressure motor (such as one which includes a spring-biased dia'- phragm), the opening 8| to a source of compressed air, and the tting 32 to atmospherewhen the valve parts are in the positions shown 55 in Fig. 1, the motor is vented to atmosphere;

weaker than spring 23 so that the member Il and when the valve parts are in the positions shown in Fig. 2, compressed air is supplied to the motor. In no condition of the valves could the compressed air pass directly from the source to the atmosphere.

While I have herein shown and described a speciiic embodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and that I intend therefore to be limited only by the scope of the appended claim.

I claim as my invention:

A valve structure adapted for mounting in an opening through a wall of means defining a chamber for iiuid under pressure, said structure comprising an elongated tubular casing having aligned openings ythrough its opposite ends, said casing being externally threaded at one of said ends for attachment in said wall opening, a guide bushing threaded in the opening at said one of the casing ends, an elongated tubular member sealingly reciprocable in said guide bushing, the end of said member Within said casing being enlarged, means at the other oi the casing ends forming a valve seat cooperable with said enlarged end of the member, a closure cooperable with the inner portion of said end of the member and having a stem freely extending through the member into said chamber, a spring encircling the portion of the member within said casing and compressed between said bushing and said enlarged end of the member, said spring urging the m( mber in a direction toward its seat so that when said closure is moved in the same direction the member moves therewith, and means at the end of the stem opposite to said closure for moving the closure, there being an opening throughl a side wall of said casing adjacent said valve seat.

WlLLIAM A. RAY. 

